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Is this a matter of the league's referees getting their comeupance? That's what I thought from reading this at first glance. Yeah, I know that's irrelevant, but that's what I thought. I mean with all the criticisms you read about that pertains to questionable officiating and/or scorekeepers and statisticians making human errors or having an ulterior motive to award or slight players' in-game statistics. Not to be all pessimistic, but sometimes when you've to question things you're viewing or read about. Then that could be a sign of suspicion or wrongdoing abound. But this is about another labor dispute. It's unfortunate as it might affect the quality of in-game officiating during the regular season next season if alternative referees are hired in the meantime. Both sides need to resolve this matter ASAP. The referees have a say, the league have a say and you hammer something out. I know it isn't as simple as writing the word simple. I just don't want anything to compromise the quality of the NBA next season, and impede Boston's chances of reaching the playoffs and returning to the Finals.

This situation isn't likely as astronomical as I might have suggested before. Still, you never know. I remember that shorten season some time back. Or the issues over the "new" balls and what have you. I mean there's always "something" it seems. Fans get irked, players get irked, the league gets perturbed. I don't know, I just don't like to read about things like this that occur. It's business, it's a part of how things are. Stuff happens, you deal with them, and hopefully can move on from it. But the NBA sounds firm on their stance. This could get testy.

The NBA's current contract with its 60-odd referees runs out next week and the sides appear to be far apart on a new deal, according to sources with knowledge of the negotiations.

Sept. 1 is the expiration date of the current five-year pact. One source told ESPN.com on Tuesday that -- with the league proposing an across-the-board reduction to the referee budget of an estimated 10 percent -- the impasse might not be resolved before the start the 2009-10 season.

It was not immediately clear what sort of contingency plans would be triggered if the league and the officials can't strike a deal in time for the start of the exhibition season in October.

Aspiring NBA officials were observed and trained as normal by veteran refs during summer league play in July in Orlando and Las Vegas, but the league's annual training camp for its veterans -- typically held during the third week in September -- appears to be in jeopardy with no agreement in place.

The proposed cuts to the referee budget are believed to include reductions in travel costs, pension payouts and health benefits in addition to salary cuts.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4422452

Here's my advice, get the training the hell out of Vegas.

Also, I don't see how the refs have any kind of leverage whatsoever after the Donaghey thing.

Yeah, they're far apart because the NBA wants more lee-way to fix games and calls, and the refs don't like being told what to do

Let's just say, neither players nor fans really are feeling sorry for referees these days. I bet Rasheed isn't losing any sleep over it. The referees are alone in a way on this situation.

This is a non issue. If the league has to use "replacement refs" its not like the quality of officiating will decline.

This won't be received well from the NBA players. I mean replacement referees could open the door for even more questionable calls during the game.

The NBA formally notified the union representing its 57 active referees Friday that it was imposing a lockout, saying the rejection of its latest contract offer left "no choice but to begin using replacement referees."

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/m ... _blogs_NBA

The affects from this are already happening. I would be curious to read some comments about this from Celtics players, are they concern at all. I don't think you'll see better officiating next season. On the other hand, perhaps, you won't see as much preferential treatment toward stars such as LeBron or Kobe. I doubt it, though.

The NBA will hold training camp next week with replacement officials, saying the referees union has rejected its final offer.

Training camp was scheduled to begin tomorrow, but will now be pushed back into sometime next week to give the NBA time to line up the replacements and get them to New Jersey. . .

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bask ... e_lockout/